The effect of bereavement groups on grief, anxiety, and depression - a controlled, prospective intervention study

Abstract

AbstactBackgroundBereavement groups are believed to be beneficial as preventive interventions to reduce the development of complicated grief for people at risk after the death of a significant other. This study aimed to investigate whether measurable effects on grief, anxiety, and depression could be detected in those participating in bereavement groups compared to non-participating controls.MethodsQuestionnaires covering the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and background questions were handed out pre-intervention, five weeks and one year post-intervention to bereaved caregivers invited to bereavement groups. The results were analysed with non-parametric methods.ResultsA total of 124 individuals answered the questionnaires, and were divided into three categories: participants, non-participants unable to participate, and non-participants not wanting to participate in bereavement groups. At the one-year follow up, participants and those unable to participate reported higher levels of grief and were more anxious than those not wanting to participate. Depression did not differ between the groups.ConclusionsParticipation in bereavement groups did not produce any effects on grief, anxiety, or depression in comparison to non-participants who were unable to participate. Non-participants who did not want to participate reported lower levels of grief and anxiety than the other two groups.

The impacts and effectiveness of support for people bereaved through advanced illness: A systematic review and thematic synthesis

“…49 No benefits of the support group for bereaved cancer caregivers were found on measures of grief, anxiety or depression compared with non-participant controls. 56 Of the eight 'low-quality' effectiveness studies, seven had 20 participants or fewer making their results at best indicative. Of these, two used randomly assigned comparison groups.…”

“…Professional led Psychological and counselling: Family Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT) a45 , 46,75 Supportive counselling a63 , 70 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for chronic insomnia 53 Bereavement Life Review 54 Others: Relaxation training 52 Home support 67 Soft tissue massage 66 Bereavement support groups 43,51,55,56,57,59,62,70,76 Psychological and counselling: Psychodynamic therapy with supportive educational techniques 72 Complicated Grief Group Therapy a58 Existential Behaviour Therapy (EBT) 42 CBT 48 Group psychotherapy 49 Others: Creative arts therapy 47 Music therapy 60 Relaxation training 52…”

“…Among the four 'mixed-quality' studies of groupbased interventions, significant effects were found on measures of distress, 48,77 quality of life, 48 immunological function and health 43 for the two HIV/AIDS-specific groups, but not grief or depression. 48,77 Evaluations of group psychotherapy 49 and a bereavement support group 56 for bereaved cancer caregivers also found no effects of the interventions on grief or depression, 49,56 although significant effects were reported on measures of self-esteem and role strain for the psychotherapy intervention. 49 Only three good-quality RCTs were included.…”

Paediatric palliative care and intellectual disability—A unique context

“…Many families find support within their own community, but not all have access to such a network. In this way, external bereavement groups may be helpful to provide support to fathers, mothers, siblings and even grandparents (Näppä, Lundgren, & Axelsson, ) though further research and evaluation is required, to assess how group supports operate and may benefit those bereaved.…”

The Effect of Support Group Therapy on Parentally Bereaved Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Group interventions may also lessen the likelihood of development of complicated grief including risks of mental health problems such as major depression or anxiety. 1 As well Interventions based on standard treatments for depression show minimal effects. 39 Intervention models for helping the bereaved children and adolescents as well as families is not much, some interventions targets the children, some others targets the surviving parents or both, 40 some programs adopt individual interventions, and some intervenes through group therapies, the scope of interventions involves improving school environment, 41 educational grief programs, 42,43 peer group counselling programs, 44 outpatient group programs, 40 support group interventions, 45,46 cognitive behavioural group therapies, 47 and transitional events model which targets potentially malleable risk and protective factors, 38,48 the interventions also included grief groups using guided imagery as tool to facilitate grief expression, 49 or using music therapy to facilitate grief resolution.…”